Category Archives: broken tooth

A variety of activities can create an emergency visit to the dentist: Eating, playing, exercising, and random acts of clumsiness. Knowing what to do and planning for such dental emergencies can reduce stress and potentially save your teeth.

What are dental emergencies?
Dental emergencies can happen when a tooth cracks, breaks, becomes loose or gets completely knocked out. Existing dental work can become loose or fall out. In either situation your mouth, cheeks, gums, and lips can be cut.

Prevention is the best approach. If you are playing sports, wear a mouth guard. Don’t bite foreign objects.

What if my tooth gets knocked out?
If you lose a tooth completely, call us for an appointment. If you can get here within an hour of losing the tooth, chances are better for saving the tooth. Remember, to bring us the tooth. Many trauma’s create panic and patients forget to retrieve the tooth from the scene. Handle it by the part that bites, not the root.

Touching the root can harm the cells necessary to reattaching the tooth. If you can rinse the tooth (don’t scrub) and place the tooth in your mouth (between the cheek and gum) it will keep the tooth moist. Don’t let the tooth dry out. If you cannot put the tooth between your cheek and gum, wrap the tooth in cloth saturated in milk or saline solution (contact lens solution).
What if my tooth is cracked or chipped?
Chipped teeth are actually minor fractures. If you chip or fracture a tooth, rinse your mouth in warm water and apply an icepack to reduce swelling. Call us for an appointment as soon as possible.

What if my mouth is injured?
Damage to your teeth can cause tears, cuts, punctures and lacerations to your mouth, cheek, tongue or lips. Clean the area with warm water. Contact an oral surgeon for treatment. A trip to the emergency room may be necessary. Areas bleeding heavily will need direct pressure using the hand with gauze.